Romancing the Atom
Nuclear Infatuation from the Radium Girls to Fukushima
- 240 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
This book presents a compelling account of atomic development over the last century that demonstrates how humans have repeatedly chosen to ignore the associated impacts for the sake of technological, scientific, military, and economic expediency. In 1945, Albert Einstein said, "The release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking … the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind." This statement seems more valid today than ever. Romancing the Atom: Nuclear Infatuation from the Radium Girls to Fukushima presents compelling moments that clearly depict the folly and shortsightedness of our "atomic mindset" and shed light upon current issues of nuclear power, waste disposal, and weapons development. The book consists of ten nonfiction historical vignettes, including the women radium dial painters of the 1920s, the expulsion of the Bikini Island residents to create a massive "petri dish" for post-World War II bomb and radiation testing, the government-subsidized uranium rush of the 1950s and its effects on Native American communities, and the secret radioactive material development facilities in residential neighborhoods. In addition, the book includes original interviews of prominent historians, writers, and private citizens involved with these poignant stories. More information is available online at www.romancingtheatom.com.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART ONE: INVENTING THE ATOMIC MINDSET: DIAL PAINTERS, COMIC BOOKS, AND PARADISE LOST
- PART TWO: USING THE ATOMIC MINDSET: NATIVE AMERICANS, GUINEA PIGS, AND URANIUM COTTAGE INDUSTRIES
- PART THREE: CONFRONTING THE ATOMIC MINDSET: COMMUNITY ACTION, THE RHETORIC OF NUCLEAR POWER, AND FUKUSHIMA
- Afterword: Of Romance, Soteigai, Celebrations, and the Mundane
- Appendix: Living in an Atomic World: Voices from "On the Ground" of the Nuclear Age
- Making Up Your Own Mindset: Reading Group Discussion Questions and Classroom Resources
- Bibliography
- Index